Slide Hampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Slide Hampton
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Slide Hampton at a concert in August 1978
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Locksley Wellington Hampton |
| Born | April 21, 1932 Jeannette, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 18, 2021 (aged 89) Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Trombone, tuba, flugelhorn |
| Years active | 1950s–2021 |
| Labels | MCG Jazz, Atlantic, Epic |
Locksley Wellington Hampton (born April 21, 1932 – died November 18, 2021), known as Slide Hampton, was a famous American jazz musician. He played the slide trombone, which is how he got his nickname. He was also a talented composer, writing music, and an arranger, meaning he helped organize music for bands. Sometimes, he also played the tuba and flugelhorn.
Contents
Who Was Slide Hampton?
His Early Life and Musical Start
Slide Hampton was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1932. He grew up in a very musical family. His parents, Laura and Clarke "Deacon" Hampton, had 12 children. They taught all their kids to play instruments. The family even formed their own band! They moved to Indianapolis in 1938. Slide's eight brothers and four sisters, including Dawn Hampton and Virtue Hampton Whitted, all played music.
Slide Hampton was unique because he played the trombone left-handed. When he was a child, his trombone was set up for him to play it "backwards." Since no one told him to change, he kept playing that way his whole life.
Playing with Big Bands
When he was just 12 years old, Slide played in his family's jazz band, called The Duke Hampton Band, in Indianapolis. By the time he was 20, in 1952, he was performing at the famous Carnegie Hall with the Lionel Hampton Band.
He played with Buddy Johnson's R&B band from 1955 to 1956. Then, he joined Maynard Ferguson's band from 1957 to 1959. In this band, he played and also arranged music for popular songs. He helped make songs like "The Fugue" and "Slides Derangement" exciting.
In 1958, he recorded with other great trombone players on an album called Melba Liston and Her 'Bones. As he became more famous, he started working with other big jazz leaders. These included Art Blakey, Thad Jones, and Max Roach. He wrote new songs and arranged music for their bands. In 1962, he started his own band, the Slide Hampton Octet. This band toured the U.S. and Europe and recorded many albums.
Life in Europe and Beyond
In 1968, Slide Hampton toured with Woody Herman's orchestra. After the tour, he decided to live in Europe and stayed there until 1977. While in Europe, he continued to play and write music.
When he returned to the U.S., he taught music at several universities. These included Harvard, the University of Massachusetts, and De Paul University. During this time, he led his own band called World of Trombones. This band had nine trombones and three rhythm instruments! He also worked with Jimmy Heath in a group called Continuum. They played the music of Tadd Dameron.
Slide Hampton even appeared on TV! In 1986, he was in an episode of The Cosby Show. He also played the trombone in a concert DVD by Diana Ross in 1992.
In 2006, Slide Hampton started his own "Ultra-Big Band." They performed a special concert to honor the famous Brazilian musician Antônio Carlos Jobim.
His Later Years and Legacy
In 2009, Slide Hampton wrote four new songs. He called them "A Tribute to African-American Greatness." These songs honored important people like Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Barack Obama. He also wrote new arrangements for his Big Band.
Slide Hampton lived in Orange, New Jersey. He passed away on November 18, 2021, at the age of 89. He left behind a wonderful legacy of jazz music.
Awards and Special Honors
Slide Hampton received many important awards for his music.
- In 1998, he won a Grammy Award. This was for "Best Jazz Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)." He arranged the song "Cotton Tail" for singer Dee Dee Bridgewater.
- He won another Grammy Award in 2005. This time it was for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album" for his album The Way: Music of Slide Hampton.
- In 2005, the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation honored him. They added him to their Hall of Fame.
- Also in 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts gave him their highest jazz honor. This was the NEA Jazz Masters Award.
His Music and Albums
Slide Hampton was a very busy musician. He released many albums as a band leader, starting in 1959 with Slide Hampton and His Horn of Plenty. He also worked as an arranger, creating music for other famous artists like Maynard Ferguson and Dexter Gordon. He played the trombone on many albums as a sideman, supporting other jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and McCoy Tyner. His music is known for its exciting arrangements and his amazing trombone playing.
See also
In Spanish: Slide Hampton para niños
